Tejasvi Surya Highlights India's Evolution from UPA Scandals to Modi's Self-Reliance with HAL's HTT 40

Bengaluru, Feb 13 (NationPress) BJP MP Tejasvi Surya criticized the UPA-led administration, asserting that the Hindustan Aeronautical Limited's (HAL) HTT-40 aircraft epitomizes India's transformation from UPA’s corruption to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of self-reliance.

Surya took to social media to underline India's advancements under PM Modi, stating, "Today, I had the chance to fly in the HAL-produced indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft HTT-40. This aircraft is a product of the steadfast dedication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the late Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parikkar.”

He emphasized that former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was pivotal in supporting HAL, which led to the HTT-40's revival within a remarkable timeframe of 40 months. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to utilize this aircraft as a basic trainer jet starting next year, marking a significant move towards indigenization and self-sufficiency.

Surya also accused the UPA administration of neglecting the procurement of this aircraft in 2012 and instead opting for the Pilatus PC-7 from a Swiss firm, a decision later tainted by a Rs 339 crore corruption scandal.

"Pilatus purportedly funneled bribes via middlemen and offshore accounts, breaching Indian law. Consequently, the CBI filed an FIR, leading to Pilatus being blacklisted in 2019,” he stated.

He pointed out that this decision not only compromised India’s indigenous capabilities but also squandered taxpayer money, allowing middlemen to profit at the expense of national security.

“Following 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi bolstered HAL, provided resources, and ensured the project's revival. This serves as a reminder that with appropriate political leadership, the nation’s institutions and scientists will thrive and deliver excellence. Conversely, inadequate leadership jeopardizes national security and misappropriates taxpayer funds,” Surya remarked.

He further articulated that this narrative illustrates India's evolution over the past decade from scandals to self-reliance, transitioning from foreign dependence to Atmanirbharta.

Tejasvi Surya’s remarks have sparked discussions on social media, prompting a response from Akhilesh Mishra, CEO of BlueKraft Digital Foundation.

Mishra shared Surya’s post, noting that “there is a fundamental story in this tweet beyond the images.”

“It narrates how every defence agreement under Congress was a tale of scandal and exploitation, whereas the Modi administration has fundamentally redefined Aatmnirbharta in defence procurement. HTT-40: A triumph for HAL; a commitment from PM Modi,” Mishra commented.

On Thursday morning, Surya experienced a sortie on the HTT-40, India’s fully indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA), during the Aero Show.

Post-sortie, he reflected on the HTT-40's developmental journey, stating that India has transitioned from UPA's scandals to self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi by creating its own fully indigenous BTA.

He expressed, “Flying the HTT-40 was a remarkable experience. This aircraft exemplifies India’s engineering prowess and showcases how, with the right policies and support, our scientists and engineers can achieve remarkable feats.”

The HTT-40, designed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force (IAF), is a fully aerobatic aircraft, powered by a four-bladed turbo-prop engine, featuring a modern glass cockpit and the latest safety enhancements, including a zero-zero ejection seat.

This advancement signifies another crucial stride towards enhanced self-reliance in Defence and aviation, aligning with the Prime Minister's vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by diminishing dependence on foreign BTAs for pilot training.

After his sortie, Surya remarked, "The HTT-40 symbolizes India’s transition from scandals to self-reliance, from foreign dependency to Atmanirbharta.”

He recalled that in 2012, under the UPA government, India acquired Swiss Pilatus trainer aircraft through a Rs 3,000 crore deal.

However, this procurement process was soon marred by irregularities, prompting a CBI investigation in 2019 that uncovered middlemen’s involvement.

As a result, Pilatus was blacklisted, leaving India urgently seeking an indigenous training aircraft.

During this period, HAL was working on a domestic substitute. However, the indigenous program encountered numerous challenges, and it was only in 2014, under Prime Minister’s leadership and the support of the late Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, that HAL received the essential funding and policy endorsement to revive the trainer aircraft project.

“Within 40 months, HAL successfully constructed the HTT-40, illustrating India’s capability to shift from import dependency to self-reliance in the aviation domain,” Surya affirmed.

“This accomplishment is dedicated to the late Manohar Parrikar, whose vision for self-reliance in Defence was vital in rejuvenating the indigenous trainer program,” he added.

“The HTT-40 was first inaugurated by him under the guidance of PM Modi and now stands as a testament to India’s transformation in Defence manufacturing,” Surya noted.

The success of HTT-40 could not have been realized without the tireless work of HAL’s chief designers, Suma Prakash and Ramanand, alongside an entire team of engineers, scientists, and workers.

“On behalf of the citizens of India, I express my sincere gratitude to HAL and its workforce for this landmark achievement. This is a victory for our nation, illustrating our capacity to produce cutting-edge Defence technology,” Surya stated.

With HAL now manufacturing cost-effective, high-performance combat aircraft, numerous nations, especially from the Global South, are showing interest in acquiring Indian-made fighter jets.

“India is not only securing its own Defence requirements but is also positioning itself as a global leader in aerospace technology. Many countries in the Global South are poised to procure HAL-produced combat aircraft, further consolidating India’s status as a Defence exporter,” he concluded.

Present at the event were Pilot Group Captain Prabhas Awasthi (Retd), Senior Flying Instructor, Group Captain N.S. Murthy (Retd), Deputy Chief Flight Test Engineer responsible for HTT-40 development and testing, Borlingappa AGM HTT-40, along with a team of engineers and technicians from the Aircraft Research and Development Centre at HAL.